The EU never gives up power easily

I am disappointed but not surprised that the EU is still trying to impede and damage Brexit. There is not a shred of democracy in them as they look at several strategies to undermine the clearly expressed wishes of UK electors to be self governing again.

Their preferred route is to try to turn the ambiguous and scarcely agreed Northern Irish Protocol into a device to keep the whole of the UK under EU rules and regulations. They forget their signature to Clause 13.8 of the Protocol which makes clear it can be clarified, superseded or dropped. That was put in there because the Protocol as drafted is contradictory and did  not represent a final settlement of the issues it tried to cover. They want to bury Clause 16 which allows the UK to make unilateral changes to enforce the parts of the Protocol the EU does not like – the measures to prevent diversion of GB trade and the measures to ensure the freedom of the UK internal market including NI. The EU refuses to adopt any negotiating mandate which could produce an answer or compromise. Instead they deliver idle threats and seem to delight in the damage they have done to  Northern Ireland politics and the Good Friday Agreement. The UK has tabled proposals which protect the EU’s single market, their alleged worry, whilst restoring UK trade to NI. The EU refuses to budge.

The EU sought to disrupt the UK’s independent vaccine policy when early investment and great research reached a good answer. They regularly threaten retaliation if we adopt any policy that they do not like which deviates from EU practice. They have allies and friends in the UK civil service and on the Opposition benches in Parliament who are looking for ways to thwart the government when it wants to change regulations, remove taxes or make other changes that could help UK prosperity and growth. The Treasury fights against any proposed VAT cut and delights in accepting the very dubious EU view that we could not cut VAT in Northern Ireland. All the time we were in the EU we were allowed to set different VAT impositions from the Republic and to fix different excise arrangements. The sums owing were not settled at a border post but by electronic transfers away from the borders.

The EU’s little helpers try to stop any repeal or amendment of EU laws and would like to smuggle  some of the latest efforts of the EU legislative machine into UK law by arguing they are necessary or desirable in their own right. The EU doubtless want to invent a new circle of EU control for states falling short of being full members, or it may just wish to lock the UK back in via an Association Agreement.

Ministers who want to get on with improving the UK economy tell me they encounter plenty of official resistance as they seek to amend and repeal. They need to overrule and get on with it. The pro EU forces say we have to accept when we leave there will be downsides, and accept we need to follow EU rules to trade with them. I say there can be plenty of upsides if we cut free properly. You can always trade with them as many other countries do that are not members, through the World Trade Organisation’s most favoured nations rules. There is so much to win if we get on with setting our own laws and taxes. It is a strange institution that shows more flexibility towards Mr Putin over buying and paying for Russian gas than it does to the UK, a friend and ally, over internal trade within our own country.

197 Comments

  1. […] Read more about The EU never gives up power easily […]

    1. Nottingham Lad Himself
      June 1, 2022

      Coming from a Tory that headline is beyond irony.

      This is the party that seeks to hobble the electoral commission, to suppress investigations into electoral malpractice, and to suppress the votes of those thought likely to vote for others. And it does.

      1. Hope
        June 2, 2022

        +1
        Johnson now changing the rules so ministers will not be sacked! Look at his behaviour this is levelling down of standards in the extreme.

        His lying and criminal behaviour condoned by his party and govt.

      2. Peter2
        June 2, 2022

        More nonsense from NHL
        A ridiculous post which translates to …..make the Electoral Commission more effective and reduce fraudulent voting.

  2. Mark B
    June 1, 2022

    Good morning.

    The EU is just defending its position which I can understand. When Parliament created the, Benn Act and effectively made it illegal for us to Leave the EU without a so called ‘Deal’, they knew that our negotiating position was ruined. We could no longer walk away and had to take what was offered. This in my view was treachery on the part of our MP’s.

    We are now faced with trying to clear up a mess Parliament has created. I mentioned yesterday that asking those who created such a mess to clear it up is a mistake and, it seems that despite all that our kind host says, nothing is going to change. Which maybe a small mercy given past record.

    The EU doubtless want to invent a new circle of EU control for states falling short of being full members . . .

    Nail. Head. Hit !

    And for EU, read France and Germany.

    Ministers who want to get on with improving the UK economy tell me they encounter plenty of official resistance . . .

    Can’t see how. Unless it requires a change in the law or some agreement. The problem is, the UK, without democratic approval, has signed up to so much nonsense and will soon sign up to the WHO Treaty, that Ministers and Parliament can no longer function. The Civil Service have made damned well sure that we are tied up in various Gordian Knots of international treaties, agreements and regulations. Alas we have at the helm a lazy, vainglorious, deceitful liar who is only too happy to ruin all and sundry if he does not have his way.

    We need to sort out the way we are governed first because that I believe is where all our ills start.

    1. BOF
      June 1, 2022

      Very accurate comment Mark B. Sadly.

      1. Hope
        June 1, 2022

        Another pass the blame blog.

        Cameron deliberately failed to plan to leave and used every trick to remain, May still in your party and on the benches who was treacherous to your party, her cabinet and the nation. Whoknighted May’s husband and ennobled Clarke and Hammond?

        Johnson has NOT delivered Brexit as we All understood. He lied to the DUP and nation. So all the guff about civil servants and opposition is less than candid when we recall Letwin, Clarke, Bercow, Grieve, Soubry, Hammond, Hammond, Woolistan etc.- they were in your Party as you seem to forget. Civil servant Olly Robins was working under May! Rees- Mogg it clear it was her fault not his. Johnson copied and pasted her deal as his “oven ready” deal! He claimed to leave deal or no deal, do or die etc. no border down Irish Sea, no checks on goods, reclaim fishing grounds etc.

        1. Peter
          June 2, 2022

          Hope
          +1

      2. Hope
        June 1, 2022

        This is another pass the blame blog by JR. We all know EU tactics, so did the Tory party and govt. ! But we also know Tory party tactics and deception when we see it. What Johnson negotiated, what he signed, was about as much good as Cameron’s renegotiation or the same deal as May treacherously negotiated. Therefore the blame lies with the Tory party quite squarely. Lord Frost resigned, previous. Re it ministers resigned- why? Because the PM of the day caved in to every demand. Go whistle for the yearly billions said Johnson, did he negotiate that aspect? No. No deal better than a bad deal said May, how much worse could it be!

        No mandate for Sunak spending on cost of living, he promised to spend more in two days than the 5 year term in his manifesto. No mandate for mass immigration that reaches historic highs in each category year after year- Brexit was meant to herald in reduced immigration as the habitual liar Johnson told us. No mandate for tax rises, manifesto expressly stated no tax rises. Blame everybody, anybody or anything other than the Tory party and govt in power.

        Not their fault, no one told them, how many economic rules have we heard over 12 years?

    2. Michelle
      June 1, 2022

      Excellent comment which hits the proverbial nail with a resounding thwack.

      1. Nottingham Lad Himself
        June 2, 2022

        And the 0.45 billion people over the Channel couldn’t give a flying one.

        1. Peter2
          June 2, 2022

          You’ve spoken to them all presumably NHL?

    3. Ian Wragg
      June 1, 2022

      The whe partygate is intended to depose Bozo and get a rejoiner PM and they may well succeed.
      Until we ditch the NIP we will never advance

      1. glen cullen
        June 1, 2022

        I see from BBC Newsnight last night that the front-runners to challenge our dear leader are all ‘remainers’…out of the frying pan into the fire

      2. Ian Wragg
        June 1, 2022

        After a few days of wind supplying up to 40% of demand today it’s back at 0.81gw on a quiet half term day.
        Still no decision on fracking or the Cumbrian coal mine
        Rishi has successfully headed off more North Sea exploration with his windfall tax.
        Net Zero ploughs on regardless. Governments own advisers talking of power rationing next winter.

        1. Ian Wragg
          June 1, 2022

          Midday and it’s down to 0.56gw. You couldn’t make it up.

        2. hefner
          June 1, 2022

          25% levy on profits of the oil and gas companies (windfall tax), but also a tax break of 91 p per £1 newly invested on gas and oil developments in the North Sea area. Why is this second part of the Chancellor’s decision not being discussed?

        3. Lifelogic
          June 1, 2022

          Indeed – and net zero is obviously economic, scientific and political insanity.

      3. Elizabeth Spooner
        June 1, 2022

        Yes agree – many remainers have become re-joiners and deposing Boris Johnson has always been their ambition as a first step to re-joining. They are prepared to play a long game. The MPs favourite to succeed is a remainer !

      4. X-Tory
        June 1, 2022

        I don’t give a monkey’s about Partygate (the evil was *imposing* the restrictions, not breaking them), but until we ditch Bozo the Traitor we will never ditch the NI Protocol.

        Bozo has done NOTHING right. He’s failed on Brexit, Northern Ireland, immigration, energy, inflation, the economy, taxes, industry, farming, fishing, manufacturing … everything!

        ‘Good riddance to bad rubbish’, as my dear old nan used to say.

        1. Denis Cooper
          June 1, 2022

          Tricky. The minority of Tory MPs who genuinely support Brexit would need to make it absolutely clear that they would have zero tolerance for a Tory Prime Minister who made any moves at all to take us back into the EU, or even back into the EU Single Market as Tobias Ellwood is demanding.

        2. Philip P.
          June 1, 2022

          I agree with you about Johnson’s record, X-Tory. But how do we get rid of the NI protocol, if Johnson is replaced by a remainer/rejoiner, as could well happen? I’m afraid that’s a sign of how bad things are: Johnson has been appalling but the alternative would probably be worse. Toby Young makes a fair point on this: after the hypocrisy of Partygate there’s no way that Johnson could ever get the country to consent to lock down again.

        3. Peter
          June 1, 2022

          X Tory,

          True. However Team Boris have been crafty enough to put him on a pedestal for a Brexit he never delivered.

          Idiots like Tobias Ellwood and Heseltine then give life to this ridiculous idea by saying that once Johnson is gone we can rejoin the EU.

          Johnson just needs to go. The Conservative Party too (though this may not be a pleasant thought for Sir John Redwood).

          The Conservatives have been in the grip of careerists for too long. A fresh party is needed, even if there is a lot of pain along the way.

      5. John Hatfield
        June 1, 2022

        ” partygate is intended to depose Bozo and get a rejoiner PM ”
        Do we not already have a rejoiner PM?

    4. Everhopeful
      June 1, 2022

      +1
      Agree 100%
      Apparently that treaty was blocked by some African nations at Davos yesterday.
      I bet it will rear its ugly head again but somewhat scuppered at the mo.
      Some countries at least seem to have their heads screwed on!

      1. Everhopeful
        June 1, 2022

        Treaties seem to be the only thing this disrespectful govt respects.
        All other codes and agreements can be thrown to the wind.
        Democratic decisions….ministerial codes….petitions….clapping in parliament…observing the law….telling the truth…looking after the people properly…taking proper care of children…defending OUR borders…..what a list!
        Yet show the govt an avenue to give away a bit more of what is OURS and it’s there….like a rat up a drainpipe.

        1. glen cullen
          June 1, 2022

          As SirJ would say ”we don’t believe them” and I’d suggest ‘respect’ them anymore

          1. Everhopeful
            June 1, 2022

            +agree 100%
            Absolutely!

        2. DavidJ
          June 2, 2022

          Indeed. Good that you don’t refer to them as “our” government which they clearly are not; just a puppet of the globalists.

      2. Donna
        June 1, 2022

        I’m sure it will. I suspect the African nations which blocked it see a wonderful opportunity to increase the “financial aid” they will be given providing they support it.

      3. Everhopeful
        June 1, 2022

        If govt is so keen on flouting parliamentary protocol/rules then let the MPs get up and give Africa a round of applause.
        Oh dear…what a conundrum!

      4. glen cullen
        June 1, 2022

        DAVOS worryingly quite this year…normally the media is all over them

    5. Shirley M
      June 1, 2022

      Agreed Mark B. I never understood why Parliament was allowed to conspire with a foreign government and severely damage the UK’s negotiating position. That is apart from denying democracy. Surely, there must be some law against it, and if not, then we need one, pronto. I cannot understand why politicians who deliberately damaged the UK are allowed to remain as politicians.

      If they were democrats, they would have accepted the referendum result, even if they disagreed with it, and worked to get the best result for the UK. They didn’t. They actually tried to overturn and destroy democracy. That cannot be allowed to ever happen again, and the perpetrators should be thrown out of Parliament.

      Any politician who disagreed with the referendum was free to campaign for another referendum, but not deny a democratic result when it doesn’t suit, otherwise anarchy will follow. I lost all trust in politicians and Parliament when the Benn Act was made law. Rayners description of ‘scum’ would be mild compared to my description. They basically spit in the face of all Brexiters and every democrat who wanted the best result for the UK.

      1. anon
        June 1, 2022

        Acting contrary to a referendum result or a manifesto pledge should mean a by-election for the those charged. A Simple 100k trigger petition against a sitting MP should cover it.

        Rights of recall and all that democracy stuff.

        Boris is a remainer or the just the puppet of remainers. So lets have a remainer. At least its honest and you can lose the worthless elections with grace.

      2. Bill W
        June 8, 2022

        As a naive person I would have imagined that we would have an advantage negotiating with a conglomerate of multiple EU countries. But our democracy seems to have severely hampered our position. Did the EU need to repeatedly go back to their “ constituents “ to agree any deal? It seems not. I have given up on voting as it seems that they have no no duty to follow our instructions. We know that somewhere there is a room of powerful people deciding our future, and we have no say in it.

    6. Neil Sutherland
      June 1, 2022

      Johnson plans to reduce civil service numbers by 20%. He can eliminate any resistance to Brexit policies if he wanted.

    7. Christine
      June 1, 2022

      Another betrayal of our sovereignty and democracy:

      “The Government has responded to the petition you signed – “Do not sign any WHO Pandemic Treaty unless it is approved via public referendum”.

      To protect lives, the economy and future generations from future pandemics, the UK government supports a new legally-binding instrument to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. COVID-19 has demonstrated that no-one is safe until we are all safe, and that effective global cooperation is needed to better protect the UK and other countries around the world from the detrimental health, social and economic impacts of pandemics and other health threats. The UK supports a new international legally-binding instrument as part of a cooperative and comprehensive approach to pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.”

      So our Government thinks it’s OK to sign an internationally legally binding treaty giving control of future health decisions over to a very dubious organisation, led by someone with accusations of corruption and crimes against humanity against him, without even asking the British people? This treaty sets out a level playing field in the provision of health for the whole world’s population and we are expected to pay for it.

      Our Government is an utter disgrace.

    8. Know-Dice
      June 1, 2022

      Fully agreed Mark, only a fool would try and negotiate with both of their hands tied behind their back and that’s what our wonderful Parliament did for the UK.

      Although, Mrs May with her Lancaster House & Florence speeches “no one will be worse off and no one will be better off” was on a hiding to nothing right from the beginning. And subsequently Mr Johnson was no better with his border down the Irish sea…

    9. rose
      June 1, 2022

      Not for the first time, Botswana is showing us all the way:

      “The African region shares the view that the process should not be fast tracked…,” Moses Keetile, deputy permanent secretary in Botswana’s health ministry, told the assembly on Tuesday on behalf of the Africa region.
      (Reuters)

    10. acorn
      June 1, 2022

      Pontius Pilate ‘washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person’. This was to show the crowd he did not want Jesus dead, but ordered his death because that is what the leave voters wanted. He was washing his hands of any responsibility; it was/is
      /and always will be, all the EU’s fault by definition.

      Any similarity between Pontius Pilate and Jesus, and Transport Secretary Shapps and the Airline industry, is purely coincidental.

  3. Lifelogic
    June 1, 2022

    You say “The EU is just defending its position” well perhaps the EU elite’s position but they are not acting in the interests of the people of the EU though. It is a profoundly anti-democratic organisation.

    1. Everhopeful
      June 1, 2022

      +1
      The EU is using covid and a ramped up war with Russia to foist the dreadful, fatal greencr*p agenda on the peoples of Europe.
      ( And Johnson following meekly/ or with an eye to the main chance… on behind)
      If there were any true democracies decisions like greencr*p imposition and impoverishment would be taken DEMOCRATICALLY.
      We know what the democratic answer would be…and so crucially…does the elite!
      Dig coal. Start fracking. Make gas.
      Let’s have “ Made in England/Britain” stamped on the back of every consumer item again!

    2. Lifelogic
      June 1, 2022

      Even now many remainer Conservative MPs are actively trying to organise an EU remainer coup against Boris and the voters. I am no great fan of the new socialist, green crap pushing, expensive unreliable energy Boris but he is the best chance we have of avoiding a Labour/SNP disaster.

      1. glen cullen
        June 1, 2022

        Lets call those conservatives MPs out for what they are….traitors against the people, against the referendum and against democracy. Didn’t Boris make MPs pledge loyalty towards brexit (or something like that) and the last election

      2. glen cullen
        June 1, 2022
      3. acorn
        June 1, 2022

        Talking about energy, have you noticed how much cheaper the price of domestic natural gas and electricity is in France?

        1. hefner
          June 1, 2022

          The French Finance Minister (Bruno Le Maire) only allowed an increase of the price of electricity by 4%. As for the price of domestic gas, it is frozen till the end of 2022. The tax on petrol and diesel has been decreased by 0.18 € till December.
          And all that with France still in the EU, as obviously these things are decided by the individual countries and not the EU.
          And the French inflation to 30/04 was 4.8%, and forecasted to be 5.2% to 31/05.
          One might wonder whether going through Sciences Po and ENA could be better than going through an Oxford PPE and Stanford U MBA?

          1. acorn
            June 2, 2022

            The moral of the story is, don’t privatise your nations infrastructure to foreign asset strippers for pennies and kickbacks. The French state owns a controlling stake in EDF and can dictate prices. Likewise, the Norwegian state owns a controlling stake in Equinor Oil and Gas; and now has the largest sovereign wealth fund on the planet!

          2. Peter2
            June 2, 2022

            Just nationalise it and make everyone pay by artificialisation of prices.
            The socialist solution.
            Check out how this very idea of fixed artificial prices worked out for the people in Venezuela.

          3. hefner
            June 4, 2022

            Have you ever checked under which conditions France and Norway produce and sell their electricity and gas. Having a stake on the country resources is not the same as Venezuela full nationalisation within PDVSA. Look at them, you might learn a few things that could prevent you (if you understand them, obviously) from looking like an ass (a la W.Shakespeare) in the future.

      4. Richard1
        June 1, 2022

        The opinion polls start to suggest otherwise. It feels like Major in ’95 to me.

      5. Mark B
        June 1, 2022

        Again ! Where is you EVIDENCE ?!?!?!

        Or are you just following the herd / flock ?

      6. glen cullen
        June 1, 2022

        ‘’Tobias Ellwood MP wants us to rejoin the EU single market’’ order order

      7. hefner
        June 1, 2022

        LL, Remainers like Steve Baker, John Baron, Anne Marie Moris, Andrew Bridgen, William Wragg, Tim Loughton, David Davis?
        You should concentrate a bit more when reading your Telegraph.

        1. Peter2
          June 2, 2022

          7 out of over 40.

    3. Lifelogic
      June 1, 2022

      Matt Ridley is surely right today in the Telegraph as usual:- The UK faces blackouts thanks to Putin’s war on shale. Fracking was wrongly demonised by an unholy alliance of the Kremlin and green activists

      But HSBC are surely wrong:- “HSBC is offering its UK ­workers the chance to lease Teslas in an attempt to encourage them to cut their travel emissions”. It might work financially due to biased company car tax rules and the misguided government car market rigging rules – but keeping you old ICU car will cause less CO2 as building a new EV and its short lived battery causes loads of CO2 emissions. Also we have no spare low CO2 electricity to charge then with anyway.

      A new electric car cost between £1 per mile and about £2 per mile too just in finance costs and depreciation – this even before electricity, insurance and running cost. Keeping your old car more like £35p a mile all in and about half of that is taxation.

    4. Gary Megson
      June 2, 2022

      Well, let’s see. The EU exists because of its Treaties, freely entered into by sovereign countries after (in some cases) a vote of their Parliament or (in other cases) a referendum of their people. The EU makes laws when (and only when) they are approved by the Council of Ministers (elected national politicians) and the European Parliament (elected MEPs). No laws in the EU are ever made by people who are not elected. Looks pretty democratic to me!

      1. Peter2
        June 2, 2022

        Treaties imposed on the people without a referendum.
        Then laws are developed from those obtusely worded treaties with no manifesto.
        In addition rules and regulations and directives are the way the EU forces itself on member nations.
        The Council of Ministers meets a few times a year to rubber stamp rather than debate.
        Laws are made by the Presidents and the Commission who are appointees.
        The European Parliament has hardly ever refused to pass laws in the whole time it has existed.

  4. DOM
    June 1, 2022

    A united Ireland has always been a dream for many in Washington. On that basis alone it will happen and the UK will become no more than a page in history. When Scotland departs the union and they will GB will become England and Wales. At that point England should declare independence and let Wales stand on its own two feet. England should then reform like never before. Full on private, min public sector

    I don’t recall an EU rep being involved in the negotiations during the GFA though I did see one of the Kennedy clan (with Adams and McGuinness) who as we all know have always despised the UK.

    It’s game over for the UK.

    1. MFD
      June 1, 2022

      Wrong Dom! You seem to forget the majority of those living in Northern Ireland. There will never be a united Ireland in our lifetime and hopefully never ever.
      Question 1 Why are our politicians bothered about the eu single market, not our problem, they can protect it from within their territory !
      Question 2 why are we negotiating, has no person it government the guts to tell them its all over – get lost!
      My loyalist forefathers are turning in their graves at the cowardly performance of the Conservative and Unionist party they were members of!
      Its now obvious the foreigners are not for NEGOTIATING so tell them times up we are gone!

      1. acorn
        June 1, 2022

        Before you “tell them times up we are gone”, can you give us a heads-up, so some of us can get out of Sterling assets and into US Dollar and Euro assets. Mad DOM accidentally got it a bit right today. “GB will become England and Wales. At that point England should declare independence and let Wales stand on its own two feet.” Wales will do; based on the reformation of the six Celtic States becoming French overseas territories; administered by the French region of Brittany. Cornwall, a united Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland, and Wales will be the other five states. England will become the equivalent of Europe’s Leper Colony.

        1. Peter2
          June 2, 2022

          More ridiculous political fantasy from acorn.
          You are getting more angry and extreme with every post.

          1. Bill brown
            June 2, 2022

            Peter 2

            And your content is getting increasingly thinner

          2. acorn
            June 2, 2022

            Sorry Peter2, did I accidentally kick your kennel with my comment?

          3. Peter2
            June 2, 2022

            Yet you respond with half the content of my post
            Hilarious as usual Billy.

          4. Peter2
            June 2, 2022

            No acorn it just seemed to me that you are getting more angry and extreme with every post
            As your reply helps to demonstrate.

      2. Bil,
        June 8, 2022

        I feel the same way. When we “ left “ the EU why didn’t we just go, and say we won’t make a border, you can if you want? Oh by the way there will be no border in the Irish Sea.

    2. villaking
      June 1, 2022

      I agree that Brexit will lead to the break up of the UK. It is one of the key reasons I voted Remain

  5. SM
    June 1, 2022

    Sir John, the tone of your comments has (to anyone who has followed your Diary and your work for many years) become noticeably and unusually tense, impatient and angry – if I were one of the Prime Minister’s advisors, I would be getting VERY worried.

    Anyone who has ever had any kind of political dealings with Mr Johnson, as I have, would know that the man just might be OK used as a figurehead while under very tight control, but definitely not as a Minister or Prime Minister.

    It really is ‘falling on sword’ time.

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      June 1, 2022

      I have to agree SM. It sounds as though Sir John is just as demoralised as we are. Yes, there are many problems in the world that are difficult to overcome but let’s face it, there are just as many home grown ones where the answer is staring ministers in the face but they seem incapable of legislating to make things better. In fact it seems like they actually want to see the UK fail when Joe Public knows we can be a great nation once again. Whoever you speak to they want the government to grow some and get things done so that we function as a real sovereign nation and not the EUs puppet. I can’t really name anything that this government has achieved other than a complete arse of a Brexit deal and gay marriage. Sir John abd indeed many contributors here put forward such great ideas bit they are ignored. No wonder people are losing interest in politics and decide that doing something is a waste of time but no worse than doing nothing which is what our MP’S seem to be doing.

      1. Paul Cuthbertson
        June 2, 2022

        FUS- just look at the quality of ministers and for that matter the quality of most MPs. A pathetic bunch as many are career politicians at most. Until the whole rotten system of our government is changed, it does not matter who you vote for. Nothing will change. We do not have a Constitution and we do not have weapons, however I feel “change is in the air”.

    2. Everhopeful
      June 1, 2022

      +many
      Interesting past involvement 🌸
      To get rid of Johnson now might, pundits say, be electoral suicide ( meanwhile that is committed every day…but ok yes, accepted).
      But WHY does no one do a Ratty and Mole on him?
      A controlled ( as you say) Johnson might just get us through all this.

    3. Mark B
      June 1, 2022

      SM

      I agree, especially when it comes the Chancellor who, our kind host does not have many glowing words, and quite rightly I aver.

    4. Lifelogic
      June 1, 2022

      A PM is really a figurehead position – it would be nice if he has a working compass provided by a JR type though. If he goes the alternatives are all rather worse even more full of green crap and almost all socialist EUphiles. Dire people like Jeremy Hunt whose main talent was elegantly apologising for the many appalling NHS errors and negligence over his 6 years as Sec. – it is even worse now.

  6. Cynic
    June 1, 2022

    The extent to which membership of the EU has debauched our governing class and democracy is very worrying.

    1. Mark B
      June 1, 2022

      On the plus side, we can but hope to repair the damage whilst, those still part of the Stupid Club descend into ruin and chaos.

  7. Everhopeful
    June 1, 2022

    For a a long time now, I have felt that our very own government takes no notice whatsoever of the wishes of the electorate.

    Remember what it did to us.
    Reflect on what it is doing now.
    Look at the state of what was once our country.
    EU, U.K. govt. peas in a pod.

    1. Shirley M
      June 1, 2022

      +1. Much like Orwells 1984 was meant as a warning, not a guide. The same should be applied to the EU. They are a warning of the consequences (for the masses), and definitely not something to be copied!

      I can see why politicians may want to emulate the EU, as it gives them unlimited power and money, but they are supposed to represent their constituents, not themselves! Unfortunately, democracy doesn’t work when political candidates are allowed to lie to, and deceive, the electorate with impunity, and gain votes in a fraudulent way. Why is this allowed? Is it a case of political parties protecting their dishonest politicians, because the party is more important than honesty, or the electorate?

    2. glen cullen
      June 1, 2022

      Spot On

    3. Peter Parsons
      June 1, 2022

      Of course they don’t. Under the UK’s FPTP voting system, they don’t need to. If you’re not a swing voter in a marginal constituency, you’re not relevant to whether they’re in power or not, so you can be safely ignored.

      1. Peter2
        June 1, 2022

        If voters wanted a different result they would vote in a different way.
        Just because one constituency is implacably Labour or Conservative for many years doesn’t mean your vote is wasted.
        It is what a majority in that area want.

        1. glen cullen
          June 1, 2022

          Always vote with your heart; never vote by allegiance, peer pressure or tactically

        2. Peter Parsons
          June 1, 2022

          Wasted votes are an inherent part of how FPTP voting functions.

          Having lived in both safe seats and marginals, I’ve experienced first hand the difference in how your vote is valued by the political parties depending on which type of constituency you live in. Whatever the parties say about caring about all votes and voters, their actions tell a completely different story.

          1. Peter2
            June 2, 2022

            Why worry about how much the political parties value your vote?
            If you want change campaign for it and create a difference.
            I lived in a very safe seat which changed due to effective campaigning by local people and hard work by one party exposing the lazy attitude of the incumbent MP.

          2. Peter Parsons
            June 2, 2022

            How much they value your vote is a correlation for whether you have any say in who governs the country or whether your vote is about as useful in determining that as the average North Korean citizen’s is.

            I do campaign for change – a change to a fair and representative voting system where everyone gets an equal voice in the outcome.

          3. Peter2
            June 2, 2022

            The red wall seats that recently changed alliegence after many years of voting Labour shows how things are not as fixed as a you think.

  8. peter Wood
    June 1, 2022

    Sir J,

    Policy, and discipline of the Civil Service, comes from the top; don’t complain of inaction when there is no leadership for it.

    1. Mark B
      June 1, 2022

      +1

  9. Peter
    June 1, 2022

    It’s all very well blaming the EU. What about our government?

    How long have they been saying they are going to do something about the Northern Ireland Protocol?

    All talk, no action.

    They simply lack the will and the drive to deliver what was promised to voters. That’s if they ever had any intention of doing so in the first place.

    1. glen cullen
      June 1, 2022

      Our dear leader signed the TCA, the WA, the NIP, the policy of Net-Zero, the Tax hike and signed off the our continued involvement in many EU and UN institutions

    2. Benny
      June 1, 2022

      Peter, The government with Boris at the helm had the intention of doing something about the protocol allright but as time passed they realised that they just couldn’t upend an international agreement unilatterly without making severe consequences in other places – so then I agree there’s no point in blaming the EU – so we should just get on with it

  10. Donna
    June 1, 2022

    The EU has plenty of little helpers in the CON Party as well: many in the House of Frauds and a lot in the Commons.

    The NI Protocol is the consequence of Remainers’ perfidy. Johnson should never have signed it in the first place and should have scrapped it last winter, as Lord Frost advised before walking away in disgust. Instead the coward is allowing the EU to use it to control the UK and throws Brexit supporters a scrap by announcing we may get Imperial measures restored.

    The Remainers are now rallying to rid us of Johnson and to be honest I don’t give a stuff. He’s been absolutely useless when it comes to Brexit and his other policies (Net Zero, Covid, economic) have been absolutely destructive.

    We’ll get a CON Remainer foisted on us who will attempt to get us back into the Single Market/Customs Union. And that, in turn, will provoke Nigel’s return to the fray ….. which is what this country REALLY needs.

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      June 1, 2022

      Hear hear to that Donna. He was brilliant on GB News last night highlighting the fact that the energy crisis is down to the political parties and the fiasco of illegal immigration. Like him or loathe him he speaks in a no nonsense way and is truthful.

    2. Lifelogic
      June 1, 2022

      Indeed but it will mean we have to suffer the dire prospect of Starmer/Sturgeon another Scottish referendum, a voting age of 16 or less and other gerrymandering perhaps. Perhaps never to see a sensible right of centre government ever again. Who in England want to have Sturgeon lording it over them?

      1. a-tracy
        June 1, 2022

        “Who in England wants to have Sturgeon lording it over them.” Well Michael Gove for one, pretty important don’t you think, he turned the proposal for English Votes for English National issues over and kicked it out (an English parliament if you like without all the extra costs that the other devolved regions have with yet another layer of politicians), we asked for EVEN, we thought we were going to get it, we were betrayed. The mainly English conservative party turned tail on it.

        English graduate taxes for English kids only.
        English prescription charges for England only.
        English social care penalties for anyone that had the audacity to buy their own home.

        John the last thing your block of English MPs should push for is EVEN. Otherwise we are trapped treated much worse than the minority regions.

      2. Mark B
        June 1, 2022

        There you go again, making things up.

        It is more likely that if a GE where held today and Labour won but failed to get a majority, they would more likely team up with the LibDems than anyone else even if it were still a minority government.#

        Starmer or any politician would NOT want the breakup of the UK as their legacy.

        Can’t you see that ?!?!

        What nonsense !

  11. Michelle
    June 1, 2022

    A clear article Sir John spelling out what many had been saying of the EU for donkey’s years, hence the wish to leave.
    It isn’t just the opposition or civil service who seem determined to keep us shackled at all costs but many within your own party.
    As for the EU not having a shred of democracy to its name well quite so, but then I have come to the opinion that we have only a thin veneer of it here and that is peeling away by the day.
    It doesn’t matter how you dress up laws to be for our own good, community cohesion/health/hurtful words etc we are being bludgeoned into silence on many important issues.

    Isn’t the reason we ended up where we are with EU because of slight of hand from the political class in the first place? It’s just for trade, no need to worry.
    I wager we are signed up to many more treaties and pacts that are less than the benign easy to rid ourselves of agreements when they become a drain, that they are touted to be.
    There goes another layer of our so called democracy and taking back control of ourselves.
    With a system so full of those on the globalists train, it seems naive to expect anything other than brutal determination by them to keep us tied up to and into everything going.

  12. BOF
    June 1, 2022

    The response to EU bullying has been very week to non existant. The fault lies in leadership, or should I say, the complete lack of leadership.

    Sorry Sir John but under the present boss, how can we expect more. Unfortunately, the aspiring candidates are all so Europhile that there is little hope of us ever properly leaving the EU or invoking Clause 16. A good leader would sack civil servants that work actively to prevent the right outcome for the UK.

    1. Peter
      June 1, 2022

      BOF,

      Agreed.

    2. Original Richard
      June 1, 2022

      BOF :

      I completely agree.

  13. Richard1
    June 1, 2022

    Yes the EU’s behaviour in relation to NI is a disgrace. Nor should we take the slightest notice of US Democrat politicians, who side with Irish nationalists to try to undermine the standing of NI in the U.K.

    But – there is only any point in taking the robust line you suggest, which will result in further frictions and disruptions, unless the U.K. govt are prepared to be equally robust in taking advantage of the potential freedoms of Brexit. If they aren’t, a quiet life as a sort of EEA-type EU satellite is the better option. No point having one without the other. We see no sign at all of such an approach by Boris Johnson’s govt.

    1. Peter
      June 1, 2022

      Richard,

      Boris does not want to queer the pitch with his potential future benefactors.

  14. Walt
    June 1, 2022

    Sir John,
    Did not your party promise to get Brexit done, to take back control of our borders, our laws and our money? Did not the electorate give your party a large majority in parliament so that you could do that? So, if now we are still in any way subject to the EU and to the ECHR, is it not because our government has failed to do that which it promised and for which it was elected?

    1. hefner
      June 1, 2022

      Walt, +1.
      Sir John, when will you be reoccupying the Rhineland?

    2. Fedupsoutherner
      June 1, 2022

      Walt. Take back control? It seems everyone is controlling the UK except those that we voted to do so.

    3. Peter
      June 1, 2022

      Walt,

      True.

  15. Sharon
    June 1, 2022

    Santa’s little helpers on this side of the channel have aided and abetted Blofield and friends from the start. Power was taken by stealth from the offset…

    You are right, the EU are not democratic. They are just power grabbers. And hypocritics.

    Johnson just needs to grab the mettle and trigger article 16, or rip it up altogether.

  16. Len Peel
    June 1, 2022

    Here we go again! Brexit is going disastrously badly but if course it’s never the Brexiters’ fault! John, we have left the EU. If you’re not happy with the current state of the UK, you need to look a lot closer to home than Brussels for the reasons

    1. Peter2
      June 1, 2022

      Did you actually read Sir John’s article Len?

  17. alan jutson
    June 1, 2022

    The solution is in our own hands John, but the government does not have the backbone to use it !

  18. BrexiRealist
    June 1, 2022

    Brexiters 2016 – the EU needs us a lot more than we need them, we’ll get a great deal!
    Brexiters 2022 – the EU is so much stronger than us, we’ve got a terrible deal, it’s not fair

  19. Julian Flood
    June 1, 2022

    Sir John, you write ‘friends And allies’. I think I can see your problem.

    JF

  20. ChrisS
    June 1, 2022

    One of the best posts I have seen here for a long time. I agree with every word and sentiment.
    Until the Civil Service is purged of Remainers at the top, nothing of any substance will get done.

    But, my concern over our future outside the EU is growing. In Parliament, every other party is intent on rejoining the EU. While Labour can no longer win a General Election on its own, even if it has far fewer seats than the Conservatives after the next election, it will attempt to assemble a grubby coalition with the LibDims and the SNP to take over the country and take us back in. I am sure that this is what Remainers in the Civil Service are actively working towards.

    Without an English Parliament, the idea of England being governed by any political combination including the SNP would be profoundly undemocratic and fills me with horror.

  21. Christine
    June 1, 2022

    Please don’t blame the EU you need to look much closer to home. The EU is only behaving as I always expected it would. It’s a controlling bully and will do its utmost to damage the UK to deter other countries from leaving. What is unforgivable is the gutless response from our Government to the NIP. The British public will not forgive this betrayal and Boris aided by Rishi seems intent on destroying our country. Everything they introduce only adds to the damage they are inflicting on us.

  22. rose
    June 1, 2022

    The impression that was too often given was that Brexit just had to be done, so the country could be reunited and move on. This was unsettling at the time, but there was absolutely no alternative. We were stuck with a more or less remain Parliament, Civil Service, Judges, Media, and a string of remain leadership candidates, and someone, just one person, was actually undertaking to get us out.

    The antics of the Traitors’ Parliament of 2017-19 then prevented that from happening cleanly, and here we are, distracted since by floods, plague, and war, still intricately tied to the EU because of its many agents here. Capsizing the Conservative and Unionist boat now isn’t going to help us. The idea of cobbling together an alternative government from various disunited little Brexit parties who have no seats is crying for the moon. Letting in a Starmer/Sturgeon coalition to foist PR on us and break up the Union seems to entice some of these Brexiteers, but how would they ever form a government after that? It would be one long EU dominated coalition. Without FPTP we would never have had the referendum, nor would it have been acted on.

  23. alastair harris
    June 1, 2022

    It is not difficult to find examples of why we consider the EU to represent the dark side of empire building! But as a newly liberated nation with our own considerable resources (despite the best efforts of Boris to squander them) it is in our own gift to terminate the current “deal” and to move on. We have seen already that the fears of the remainers were unfounded, and provided we are able to weed out the backstabbers in Whitehall I see no reason for us to continue the charade that is the post brexit deal

  24. Bill brown
    June 1, 2022

    Sir JR

    We are getting very emotional about the so-called undemocratic EU again and talking about all the advantages for us without identifying them of Brexit.
    Saying the EU is more flexible with Putin than with us is just over the top

    1. Peter2
      June 1, 2022

      How many bonus points do you get for this post bill?

      1. Bill brown
        June 1, 2022

        Peter 2

        You need to learn about real content

        1. Peter2
          June 2, 2022

          You need to do some research about the EU, its members and its current relationship with Russia.

  25. Donna
    June 1, 2022

    Creation of the Euro, with the UK correctly refusing to abandon Sterling in favour of the EU’s Mickey Mouse currency and one-size-fits-all interest rates, has set the scene for the current situation.

    When seeking to keep us “in” the EU, Cameron proposed a two-tier union. The Eurozone countries, effectively run by France and Germany, would be the core EU. The outer tier of non-Eurozone would be led by the UK. Merkel/Hollande refused to support it and offered Cameron mere scraps to offer a highly sceptical British public …. who saw through the sham and voted to leave.

    A couple of weeks ago Macron revised Cameron’s plan, proposing an EU of “rings” which he said would accommodate the UK and the likes of Ukraine (and possibly Turkey which will never get full membership). And that is roughly when the real putsch against Johnson started.

    It looks to me like the pro-EU Senior Civil Service and Parliamentary Remainers are “open” to accepting Cameron/Macron’s proposal and see an opportunity to depose Johnson and impose it on the country. Which means we would become the satrapy Treason May had planned for us.

    Johnson could have prevented this by scrapping the NI Protocol and delivering the real Brexit he promised in December, before Lord Frost walked. He’s now left it too late and it looks like we will be dragged into the outer tier of the EU.

    1. hefner
      June 1, 2022

      Interesting, the idea of a two-tier Europe ‘proposed’ by David Cameron … but wrong.
      Such a possibility had been first voiced in 1989 by M. Mertes and N.J.Prill. It had been discussed and written about since at least 1994 (W.Schaeuble & K. Lamers, ISBN 1-901229-33-5, KernEuropa, only published in English as ‘Reflections on European Policy’, Centre for European Reform, Sep.2002).
      Over the last thirty years, there have been academic papers playing with this idea practically every time the union was about to get larger.

      1. Mark B
        June 2, 2022

        There has been a two tier Europe (EU) for quite some time. The EEA could be looked upon as one of the outer-rings as can be the Customs Union.

      2. Peter2
        June 2, 2022

        But Cameron was the first UK PM to float this idea.

        1. hefner
          June 4, 2022

          So what, P2? Did that make Cameron more credible for him to come up with some ideas that had been introduced at least 22 years before, and had very likely not subsequently received much attention during that time given the number of additional countries that had joined the EU in the meantime?
          In your book, has an idea to be brought by a British person to be recognised as valid?
          Are you suffering from this particular superiority complex so prevalent within some slice of the Br(ex)istish population?

  26. majorfrustration
    June 1, 2022

    Where is Nigel when you need him

  27. Denis Cooper
    June 1, 2022

    I mentioned a letter that I had sent to our local paper for publication last week:

    http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2022/05/22/ministers-and-whitehall-culture/#comment-1320087

    Just the first two lines:

    “Six years ago we were embroiled in the EU referendum campaign, with some people on both sides straying from the truth. But it was George Osborne who did most harm, with “Project Fear” predictions.

    His warning that a vote to leave the EU could collapse the economy proved false, but his forecasts of long term economic disaster if we left without a special trade deal still coloured subsequent debate.”

    And they still do now, with vile creatures like Hilary Benn still pretending that the NI protocol is beneficial for the province, and that we cannot afford to lose the special trade deal that Boris Johnson negotiated, even though in reality it is worth very little, and certainly has not been worth all the bother it has caused us.

    Here is a letter I sent to Hilary Benn two weeks ago, widely copied, including to Labour leaders, headed:

    “A low valuation of our national sovereignty and democracy”

    “Hilary Benn, in your article in the eurofederalist New European today [1] you claim that thanks to the Northern Ireland protocol the province is “in a very advantageous position because it is now able to supply both the UK market and the single market of the European Union.” Of course it would still be able to supply both even without the protocol – the rest of the UK is still able to supply the EU single market, albeit it appears that some of those countries are breaking their WTO commitments [2] – but I wonder if you would care to provide any quantitative estimate of the additional value provided by this special trade deal with the EU. For myself I note that the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier previously wrote an official report [3] in which he found that after twenty years the EU Single Market had produced a gross one-off economic gain of about 2% of GDP averaged across the member states, while at around the same time a report from the Bertelsmann research institute [4] agreed with that level of gross economic benefit as the average across the EU but pointed out that it was not evenly spread and the UK had gained by only about 1% of GDP. Five government departments have been unable or unwilling to answer Freedom of Information requests on the economic value to the UK of Boris Johnson’s “Canada style” free trade deal; however the EU has estimated [5] that it mitigates a 3.00% loss of GDP to 2.25%, 0.75% being the value of the deal to avoid tariffs and quotas and the remaining 2.25% loss corresponding to Michel Barnier’s estimate of the value of membership of the EU Single Market, but once again the average value across the EU and not the value to the UK which will be lower. And that is, to repeat, the estimated gross benefit, before taking into account the acknowledged high costs of compliance with EU single market rules. Now I have no time for people who habitually take the side of other countries against their own, and who work away to deliberately undermine our government’s position and the sovereignty of our national Parliament, but to do that with such a paltry economic gain in view seems particularly loathsome, and equally when it comes from the left as from the right. If we were talking about our country gaining 30% of GDP, the brazen lie that Boris Johnson told us on television on Christmas Eve 2020 [6] then the temptation to sacrifice our national sovereignty and democracy might be at least understandable, but for at most a net 1% of GDP in an economy which has a long term natural growth rate of about 2.5% a year? If they had known, might not people have been prepared to wait for a few months longer to achieve that marginal boost to their prosperity? Our political class should be ashamed, but of course few of them will be.”

  28. The Prangwizard
    June 1, 2022

    The EU is behaving in the way it does, opposing the UK and punishing us, because it knows it can get away with it. There is no strength on our side.

    Ministers do not tackle internal resistance to change, partly because they don’t wish to, but principally because they know they will get no support from Boris.

    Boris avoids conflict because he does not understand the issues and has no courage and no principles.

    Why does he run away from the NI protocol problem for example. This is one of his main betrayals. His promises were deceits.

    Why is he still in post?

  29. Fedupsoutherner
    June 1, 2022

    Essentially John, what your government us saying us that it’s impossible to be a truly sovereign nation answerable to no one but ourselves. You know…..like all those other countries that manage.

    1. Ed M
      June 1, 2022

      The whole of the Western World is in political and cultural shambles from one degree to another.
      That’s because we’ve ditched our traditional Judaeo-Christian / Greco-Roman heritage for the brave new world of today (a kind of hardcore, ‘tough-guy’ (bravado more like), grab-profits-as-quickly-as-you- can economy on the one hand and a liberal, wet socialism on the other – instead of having a strong, healthy Conservatism based on the philosophy of someone such as Edmund Burke that covers not just the economy but also Culture and Civilisation in general and a sense of work ethic, personal responsibility, and love for family and country).

      1. glen cullen
        June 1, 2022

        The tide only really started to turn at the start of the woke multi cultural society under the Blair government that continues today under successive Tory governments

        1. Ed M
          June 1, 2022

          Please, don’t make me more depressed ..
          On a high note, everyone should read the biography of Cyrus the Great. I know he lived ages ago, but the skills / virtues he espoused can be applied to any agel. A great military man, governor and benevolent leader overall. With great wisdom and courage. Esteemed greatly by Alexander the Great and the ancient Greeks in general, as well as by the Romans, Persians, Jews and Christians. Amazing historical leader.

          1. Ed M
            June 1, 2022

            For Cyrus to be considered a hero by Alexander the Great (even though Cyrus was an ‘enemy’ of the Greeks) and anointed by the Jews and a saint by the Christians is incredible. Encapsulating the virtues of Judaeo-Christianity (even though he was a ‘pagan’ fire-eater or Zoroastrian – like Freddie Mercury!) and the best side of our Greco-Roman heritage (he was a Persian but the ancient Greeks and Romans loved Cyrus as well).

    2. Ed M
      June 1, 2022

      Also, if you think things are bad here in UK and Europe, just look at Jordan Peterson’s recent assessment of politics in Canada. It’s utterly depressing. Complete lack of proper leadership. Same for the USA: both Democrats AND Republicans in recent years. And similar for throughout the Western world. Due to a collapse in following the values of our Judaeo-Christian and the best of our Greco-Roman heritage.

      Solution: to return to our Judaeo-Christian and best of our Greco-Roman heritage. No amount of clever economic policy or shenanigans will get us out of this mess.

  30. Bloke
    June 1, 2022

    The EU is a muddle of what each different bunch of their members wants.

    Instead of struggling to inveigle the EU, or find some convoluted solution that suits every one of them, we should sort out and control ourselves properly first. Only then are we able to exert power and influence to pursue our own freedom and interests.

    Treasury officials are employees, and should do as their leader instructs or be penalised for insubordination. Solution: Replace the present bozo heading the Treasury.

    Change our own laws enabling us to pursue the shortest path to best. Similarly, if reverting to WTO rules is better on balance than tolerating all the nuisances the EU drags along, that clean break adds to our freedom & higher values.

    Radicals might propose deporting hardened criminals to Rwanda with a Remainer under each arm, but at least they would be in a warm environment and in a place that encourages higher standards, free from EU indoctrination.

  31. Denis Cooper
    June 1, 2022

    Even I can hardly believe this – for years the EU has approved seed potatoes grown in Scotland, but now suddenly they could pose some kind of serious threat and must be kept out of the EU Single Market.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brexit-potato-seed-shortage-ireland-b2091107.html

    “‘There’s no quick fix’: Brexit could spark potato shortage in Ireland, experts warn”

    “Brexit could lead to a significant shortage of potatoes for Irish consumers by 2023, experts have warned.

    Prior to the UK’s departure from the EU, the majority of potato seed used by Irish farmers for varieties such as Kerr Pinks, Golden Wonders and British Queens had been imported from Scotland.

    But under post-Brexit rules and following the UK’s departure from the single market, exports of seed potatoes – those not consumed but used to plant other potatoes – from Scotland to Ireland are no longer allowed.”

    The heading and the first sentence need to be corrected, replacing “Brexit” with “EU stupidity”.

    1. Len Peel
      June 1, 2022

      Denis, this is EXACTLY what Boris and the Brexiters voted for. We Remainers said this is a TERRIBLE deal but you insisted on it. Own the mess you have created

      1. Denis Cooper
        June 1, 2022

        Of course, Len, you’re absolutely right, naturally I voted for the EU to behave stupidly and inflict damage on one of its own members in order to vent its spite on us.

        And moreover, arguably, act in breach of Article 7.4 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

        From page 9 onwards, here:

        https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/WT/L/940.pdf&Open=True

        “ARTICLE 7: RELEASE AND CLEARANCE OF GOODS”

        “4 Risk Management

        4.1 Each Member shall, to the extent possible, adopt or maintain a risk management system for customs control.

        4.2 Each Member shall design and apply risk management in a manner as to avoid arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination, or a disguised restriction on international trade … “

      2. Peter2
        June 1, 2022

        Len
        Did you actually read what Sir John said in his article?

      3. Fedupsoutherner
        June 1, 2022

        Len. How many times are you going to repeat that trash?

    2. ChrisS
      June 1, 2022

      Unfortunately our media outlets are Remainers to the core, so every headline says that all these petty problems are the fault of Brexit when, in reality, they are caused by the Brussels apparatchik’s determination to impose endless punishment at every turn on the UK just for having the nerve to leave.

      Nobody, particularly in Brussels, remembers that Article 8, paragraph 1, of their own Lisbon Treaty says very clearly :

      “The Union shall develop a special relationship with neighbouring countries, aiming to establish an area of prosperity and good neighbourliness, founded on the values of the Union and characterised by close and peaceful relations based on cooperation.”

      They are collectively breaking this Article at every turn and our government should be being reminded them of it frequently. Why is this never stated ???

      1. Len Peel
        June 1, 2022

        Being a good neighbour does not mean the EU has to give special privileges to a non-member. The UK chose freely to leave the club, stop complaining about the consequences

        1. Fedupsoutherner
          June 1, 2022

          Len. Do they impose the same rules for all though or do they save their petty ones for us?

          1. Gary Megson
            June 2, 2022

            Which “petty” ones do you mean? The ones the UK freely agreed to in Boris’s oven ready deal?

        2. anon
          June 2, 2022

          WTO was always the best solution. The was never an overlap between the bid and ask. So why bother.
          WTO done years ago would be a distant memory. It’s what we look must look forward too.

        3. ChrisS
          June 2, 2022

          We have not been asking for special priviledges. The Horizon programme is a case in point.
          All we are expected was the same treatment as other non-EU members, like Switzerland.

          We are prepared to contribute £15bn to the programme, a not inconsiderable sum yet, the EU, far from being good neighbours intent on friendly relations are trying to blackmail us by preventing our joining the programme because of an entirely unrelated problem over the NI Protocol !

          Their behaviour is as far from “close and peaceful relations based on cooperation” as its possible to be !

    3. a-tracy
      June 1, 2022

      drip, drip, drip
      no retaliation
      are there other markets for these seed potatoes, does England buy the seed potatoes from Scotland?
      Cut imports from Ireland in retaliation and stop this bullying.

      1. a-tracy
        June 1, 2022

        Well Tobias Ellwood has disclosed the true intention of their get Boris out campaign ‘to begin a campaign to get Britain back into the free market. all the problems of inflation, cost of living, the Irish Protocol, exports and business investments would be solved by “rejoining the EU single market” he claims.
        They need us back in paying all the big bills from September 2022 when our divorce contributions drop away with no say as always. Fees, fines more tolls and taxes. Inflation in the EU is over 10%. I’ve never had an issue with migration and people migrating to work and not claim benefits, I just believe no-one should be able to claim British benefits unless they have lived here sixteen years. They should not be able to get housing benefit to jump the queue of the patiently queueing Brits, many of those waiting have had their families split up because Mum is better off as a single parent and can finally get cheap housing, leaving the man sofa surfing or back at their parents.

        1. Denis Cooper
          June 1, 2022

          https://news.sky.com/story/partygate-new-blow-for-johnson-as-third-tory-mp-in-one-day-submits-no-confidence-letter-12530879

          “Senior backbencher Tobias Ellwood, who is chair of the Defence Select Committee, kicked off the submissions on Wednesday, saying he will be submitting a letter as it was “time to resolve this” because the Conservative Party is “slipping into a very ugly place”.”

        2. Bill brown
          June 1, 2022

          A Tracy

          Your facts are totally wrong including your inflation figures

          1. Peter2
            June 2, 2022

            That was a quote of what that MP actually said bill.
            Are you actually claiming that it is “totally wrong”?

          2. a-tracy
            June 2, 2022

            Which facts are totally wrong Bill?here is the paper that says contributions drop from 2022 https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8039/CBP08039online.xlsx
            2020 9.05bn, 2021 7.67bn, 2022 5.42bn, 2023 2.45 bn, 2024 1.21bn.

            The quote by Tobias is all over the media but I first read it on Guido Fawkes.

            Only 6 EU countries have inflatation above 10% and the latest figure is 8.1% according to Eurosat.

        3. hefner
          June 2, 2022

          Inflation to end of April 2022: EU27 7.8%, Eurozone 7.2% (statista.com)

          1. a-tracy
            June 2, 2022

            Hefner ecEuropa.eu « Euro area annual inflation is expected to be 8.1% in May 2022, up from 7.4% in April according to a flash estimate from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. » 2 days ago

            My apologies it’s 8.1%. Only 6 eu members have inflation of 10% Bloomberg. I must try to find the article where I read it was 10%.

          2. Peter2
            June 2, 2022

            I wasn’t speaking about a-tracy’s inflation figure heffy.
            I was challenging bill’s claim that the post was “totally wrong” when it’s main point was about an MP who was calling for the PM to resign.
            This MP wants us to rejoin the Single Market.
            There was an actual quote in the post from this MP confirming this.
            You and bill seem to have failed to grasp a simple point in your hurry.

    4. alan jutson
      June 1, 2022

      And our Government stand by and just allow this to happen with no response, pathetic, gutless and clueless.

      How much longer will this farce with Northern Ireland be allowed to continue JR.

    5. Bill brown
      June 1, 2022

      Denis
      Or Brexit stupidity

  32. John Miller
    June 1, 2022

    The sole purpose of the EU is to make its politicians very powerful and very rich. That is why many politicians want to join. Freed of irritating voters, with a tame court available to stamp “LEGAL” on whatever you decide to do and many organisations willing to aid and abet you. Want more tax? Get sell by and eat by dates put on everything! Watch the VAT roll in! Political heaven!
    Ordinary people recognise that and see no reason to stay in its money making confines. Politicians, on the other hand, are attracted like bees to nectar and are desperate to get in on the act. Expecting them to free us is a faint hope.

  33. glen cullen
    June 1, 2022

    A lot of the problems and continued issues are related to the weak deals we negotiated and the fact that we are still associate members of many of the EU institutions. We’ve allowed the situation whereby the EU can still affect our politics and economics….for gods sake we’re still paying them millions every year….we needed a clean break

    1. anon
      June 2, 2022

      billions

  34. Roy Grainger
    June 1, 2022

    I understand that under the protocol the NI Assembly can vote to ditch it completely in 2024 ? So EU concessions won’t be on the table until then. We’ve seen that’s how they work, they run the clock down until the very last minute. So for the moment they’ll do nothing other than grandstand, they don’t have to given Biden is supporting them.

    The issue on NI VAT rates is interesting but hypothetical, the Conservative government show no inclination at all of wanting to cut any taxes.

  35. Alison
    June 1, 2022

    Sir John, spot on.
    “They [the EU] regularly threaten retaliation if we adopt any policy that they do not like which deviates from EU practice.” The EU regularly refers to provisions in the Trade & Cooperation Agreement for those threats.

  36. Michael Holmes
    June 1, 2022

    I do wish the government followed your sensible advice instead of allowing unelected officials to restrict and obstruct at every turn

  37. Denis Cooper
    June 1, 2022

    This is how our so-called “friends and partners” in the EU behave:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61644662

    “Universities warn of EU-UK research scheme ‘close to precipice'”

    “The EU has indicated UK participation is tied to the row about post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland.”

    “In its letter to European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic, Universities UK says that scientific collaboration should not be compromised by “unrelated political disputes”.”

    This will be part of what the EU means by “retaliation”, and they are getting it in first; they are not even waiting to see if the UK Parliament actually passes a law to allow UK ministers to unilaterally disapply parts of the TCA, let alone waiting to see if any such powers were actually used, let alone waiting to see whether any such actions were actually doing the EU or any of its member states any material harm.

    1. Bill brown
      June 1, 2022

      Denis

      We are still negotiating with the EU so hold your horses

      1. Peter2
        June 2, 2022

        The EU is not negotiating.
        It has said it will not move.

        1. Bill brown
          June 2, 2022

          Peter 2

          Hefner once again proved you wrong
          Do your homework

          1. Denis Cooper
            June 2, 2022

            http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2022/05/25/32823/#comment-1320618

            “Wrong. The EU has stated repeatedly that it will not reopen the protocol … “

          2. Peter2
            June 2, 2022

            Hefner spoke about inflation figures which if you actually re read my post, I was not speaking about.
            I was challenging your claim that the post was “totally wrong” when it simply quoted what an MP had actually said.

            Do your homework indeed.
            Then maybe just maybe billy you will post something that is correct.

        2. Bill brown
          June 2, 2022

          Peter 2
          Even when the facts are staring at you.
          How very sad

          1. Peter2
            June 2, 2022

            Why?
            You are focussed on inflation figures.
            I never spoke about the inflation figures.

            I challenged you about your claim that what the poster a-tracy said was in your words,
            ” totally wrong”
            The post quoted the actual words of an MP
            A quotation.
            So…
            Are you claiming those words are “totally wrong” or not?
            Looking forward to your response billy.
            Knowing you are keen on accuracy.

  38. Atlas
    June 1, 2022

    The problems start at the top in Politics. Surely Johnson is not the only Brexiteer in the Conservative Party who could do the top job?

    1. glen cullen
      June 1, 2022

      I wouldn’t describe Boris as a brexiteer

  39. X-Tory
    June 1, 2022

    Let me just rephrase that for you: “I am disappointed but not surprised that *Boris Johnson is allowing* the EU to impede and damage Brexit.”

    Because that’s the truth. The leader you continue to support is the guilty man. He could have scrapped the NI Protocol long ago, but he hasn’t and has declared that he won’t. He has completely surrendered. As for the Treasury, and the Civil Service in general, yes they are pro-EU and do not like deviating from EU rules and policy, but at the end of the day they are just servants, and have to obey the orders of their ministers, and the PM in particular. So it matters not a jot if they support Brexit or not – if the PM just ordered them to do things they would. But he doesn’t.

    Boris is weak, cowardly, stupid and treacherous. He is not really a nationalist at all, and in his heart he yearns for EU approval and affection, instead of holding them in contempt as the enemies of the UK which they are. He is a traitor and must be got rid of. Until you and your ERG friends grasp this nothing will improve.

    1. Bill brown
      June 1, 2022

      Denis

      We are still negotiating with the EU so hold your horses

  40. Sibeliusfan
    June 1, 2022

    Dear Sir John
    As one of the many who signed the petition “Do not sign any WHO Pandemic Treaty unless it is approved via public referendum”, I have received a disturbing reply that seems to indicate that, far from debating the request to hold a referendum, the Government doesn’t even plan a parliamentary debate on whether to sign this WHO treaty. Is it the case that this treaty can be signed without any parliamentary scrutiny at all?

    1. glen cullen
      June 1, 2022

      We’re just plebs and the government petition website is just a farce – a tick in the box exercise in democracy to hoodwink the people

  41. X-Tory
    June 1, 2022

    Sir John, apropos your Tweet about the WHO Treaty, I completely agree with you, but your foreign secretary, Liz Truss, actually supported this. She has pretended to have shaken off her Remainer views but she clearly does NOT believe in British sovereignty or independence. She is NOT a suitable successor to Boris the Traitor.

    Among current cabinet members I can only see Raab as suitable, but if Tory MPs were willing to expand their horizon to the backbenches then I’m sure a decent candidate can be found – as well as you, of course!

  42. Mark Thomas
    June 1, 2022

    Sir John,
    You may have seen Ursula von der Leyen’s recent msnbc interview where she stated that the EU would hurt Russia by continuing to buy their oil, thereby preventing Putin from making more money selling it on the world market. If a minister stood up in Parliament and made such an announcement they would be laughed out of the House. Whatever anyone may think of Vladimir Putin, he has the measure of the EU.

    1. glen cullen
      June 1, 2022

      Its not even a pretence at an embargo

  43. Keith from Leeds
    June 1, 2022

    Hello Sir John,
    Like many regular diary readers, I do not understand why our government has not already acted on the N.I. protocol, nor why so little has been done to remove thousands of EU laws from the statute book. Why when your diary comments make sense is no one in government talking to you? Why do we have a chancellor who raises unnecessary taxes, the 2.5% increase on National Insurance, instead of cutting taxes to stimulate growth, the gives it back as a handout! Already the media are calling for action on fuel prices. But handouts don’t work, hand-ups
    do! If the government won’t listen to you what chance have we got? When will we get the conservative government we voted for?

  44. Denis Cooper
    June 1, 2022

    The good news is that even Tony Blair thinks the EU should move over the protocol.

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1618937/Tony-Blair-Brexit-EU-Northern-Ireland-protocol-institute-report-news

    But the bad news is that his focus is still on the wrong stream of goods, the IMPORTS into Northern Ireland, which are simply none of the EU’s business, rather on the stream of goods in which the EU has a legitimate interest, the EXPORTS taken across the land border to the Irish Republic.

    “The six areas the paper urges leaders to address are:

    Agree a “Northern Ireland approved” goods designation, exempting goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland from regulatory checks and customs requirements necessary under EU law, provided that these goods categories meet a small number of requirements … ”

    Incidentally some lazy person asked me for numbers about those two streams of goods, so here are some.

    I looked at data on Northern Ireland sales and purchases for 2019, the last pre-pandemic year, here:

    https://www.nisra.gov.uk/sites/nisra.gov.uk/files/publications/Overview-of-NI-Trade-October-2021.pdf

    According to which purchases of goods from Great Britain were worth £11.4 billion while sales of goods to the Republic were worth £3.4 billion, hence just on value at least 70% of the goods from Great Britain which would be subjected to EU mandated checks under the fully implemented protocol do not actually need to be checked by the EU at all because they will not be going over the land border into EU territory.

    Plus many of those £3.4 billion worth of goods sold to the Republic would have been produced in Northern Ireland, not brought in from outside, so for example if half of the exports were locally produced that would mean that only £1.7 billion out of the £11.4 billion = 15% would possibly need EU checks.

    On the one hand the extent of customs overkill at the points of entry will be greater the greater the volume of locally produced goods that contribute to the stream of goods crossing the land border into the Republic, potentially without any checks at all, while conversely the lower the volume of locally produced goods that are being exported to the EU the more unreasonable it becomes to keep all producers under EU laws.

  45. Jack
    June 1, 2022

    Sir John – you must know that all of the things you complain about are the very same things we practiced on unwilling countries when we were an empire.

    Then latterly we had a chance in WA negotiations to get things right before we signed with the EU but we didn’t – instead we preferred to play footsie politics with the DUP until we got ourselves in a heap and a tangle and in the end did not know what we were agreeing to – resulting in NIP – so no point in blaming the EU – Junker and Barnier have long departed the scene.

  46. Jacob
    June 1, 2022

    You say we can always trade with them on WTO most favoured nations rules – yes maybe! but how do you think we can become most favoured nation to them – at the moment it doesn’t look like it to me.

    1. Original Richard
      June 2, 2022

      Jacob :

      We could become a most favoured nation to the EU if we fracked for gas and provided them with the gas they so desperately need.

      The EU have declared gas as “green” and since it will be burnt outside of the UK it doesn’t count towards our CO2 emissions anyway.

      At the same time it provides UK jobs, tax revenue and a helps to counter our £100bn/YEAR trading deficit with the EU.

  47. Denis Cooper
    June 1, 2022

    Just put up from Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, the first to put in a letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson:

    https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/we-can-upgrade-brexit-and-ease-the-cost-of-living-by-going-back-to-the-single-market

    “We can upgrade Brexit and ease the cost of living by going back to the single market”

    “The OBR calculates, in its current form, that Brexit is reducing our GDP by four per cent.”

    While the EU says only 2.25%, and that is based on a model which fails to take into account that for the UK the gross benefit of the EU Single Market was half of the average across the EU.

    “Put another way: our exports to Europe have shrunk by £20bn.”

    Which is less than 1% of GDP.

    “And then there’s the unresolved issue of the Irish border.”

    So he should be content that effectively Northern Ireland has not left the EU Single Market, it just no longer has any say over its rules, and that is what he wants to impose on the whole of the UK.

    “In a nutshell, all these challenges would disappear if we dare to advance our Brexit model by re-joining the EU single market (the Norway model).”

    Do we have to go over all this again? If he wants the “Norway model” he should know that as far as the Irish government and the EU are concerned it does not solve the problem of the Irish land border.

    “There was … much discussion about returning to a “common market,” which is exactly what I propose.”

    No it’s not, the Common Market was a customs union, the Single Market came later.

    “The single market means the free movement of goods, services, capital and people.”

    Precisely, the inseparable “four freedoms”.

    “It would require acceptance of some EU regulations. ”

    Like in Northern Ireland, some would mean 300 areas.

    “However, UK industry, from food to pharmaceuticals, chemicals to motor manufacturing, says they would be better off working with one common standard rather than having to follow two: both a UK regulatory system and the EU one for most exports.”

    Exactly the same rubbish as Theresa May tried on in her Mansion House speech in March 2018.

    “There remain understandable reservations about the free movement of people in relation to benefit claims which would need addressing, but this is not insurmountable.”

    So now we’re going right back to the “thin gruel” of Cameron’s failed “renegotiation”.

    Will this never end, will these treacherous Remoaners never stop with their lies and misrepresentations?

  48. Peter van LEEUWEN
    June 1, 2022

    “The EU never gives up power easily”
    Why should it? And:
    “Northern Ireland economy outpacing post-Brexit Britain” (according to https://www.politico.eu/ and other sources). There must be something good for N. Ireland about this protocol.

  49. agricola
    June 1, 2022

    The EU might be the big boy on the block when it comes to reluctantly cedeing power, but almost any organisation with the ability to put their oar in is very reluctant not to. Look at the poxy little councils wishing, against the desires of the people, to dictate their jubilee celebrations. The wish to control, interfere or put their mark on any activity is endemic in the UK. It is part of UK DNA. Only by living outside but looking in do you have the tools for comparison and an objectve view. To balance this it must be said that there are things we the UK do better than most, support for Ukraine for instance.

    The answer is to have people in power with real vision and power to cut through the crap of the interfering third rate.

    1. Clough
      June 2, 2022

      Agricola, how are we ‘supporting Ukraine’ by preventing the Kiev government from negotiating a peace settlement while it still has some of its army and territory left? How are we ‘supporting Ukraine’ by flooding the country with weapons that its brave but inadequate soldiers get killed before using? We are supporting war, not Ukraine.

  50. Original Richard
    June 1, 2022

    “I am disappointed but not surprised that the EU is still trying to impede and damage Brexit”.

    This is of course not a surprise. The EU is an undemocratic bully and must be very upset that their cash cow has voted to leave, although they never showed any willingness to accommodate us.

    It is unfortunate that the EU has over the decades so corrupted our ruling elites, civil service, judiciary, educational establishment and institutions that there currently exists an enormous number of people in powerful positions working, as you say, to impede and damage Brexit.

    But perhaps we should realise that escaping from tyranny takes time, even in our fast changing world today and we need to be more patient.

    We need to remember that the Romans enslaved us for over 350 years to 410AD and after the Norman Conquest French was our official language for nearly 300 years from 1066 to 1362. So it will take some time to remove the EU yoke.

    If we had a UK backing ruling elite they would be thinking of ways to have leverage over the EU to enable us to negotiate our final release from the EU and better trading terms. A current possibility would be fracking to produce the gas that we know the EU are desperately needing.

    1. Iain Moore
      June 2, 2022

      With the English hating culture in the British establishment I do at times wonder if the Normans really are in our past, or still influencing matters to this day.

  51. Ida Henry
    June 1, 2022

    Useful information. Clear examples. But a bit too few details. And I would also like to compare the product to other similar ones as it’s done on COMPACOM. It’s always more convenient to make a choice of any service when you review various offers.

  52. Lindsay McDougall
    June 2, 2022

    Who is it that wants a hard border at the EU boundary? It is the EU, nobody else. The Republic doesn’t want a hard border with Northern Ireland, and Northern Ireland can cope without one. We should unilaterally remove all restraints and bureaucratic procedures relating to trade between the UK mainland and Northern Ireland, which is internal UK trade. And we should let it be known that if the EU or the Republic attempt to construct buildings at the border, we will demolish them. If the Republic wants to monitor goods passing from Northern Ireland to the Republic, they should construct about 4 or 5 customs posts at least 10 miles inside Republican territory. It’s not our problem.

    1. Denis Cooper
      June 2, 2022
  53. alastair harris
    June 2, 2022

    It would seem that some of your colleagues are still trying to reverse Brexit!

    1. glen cullen
      June 2, 2022

      ”some of your colleagues” I think you mean ‘the whole government’ is trying to reverse brexit

  54. Martin
    June 3, 2022

    Instead of making comments about the EU and Russian Oil & Gas, could you tell us how the “Commonwealth” is doing in this respect (especially its biggest country India)? We left the EU at your behest, but are still stuck in the “Commonwealth”.

    https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/31/energy/india-snapping-up-russian-oil-intl-hnk/index.html

    Reply The Commonwealth unlike the EU does not require all states to conform to its supranational laws Commonwealth members can follow their own policies.

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